PATIENT STORIES The Future Starts Now at Sutter

Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

Jose Aguilar didn't always know he wanted to be a doctor. And he certainly didn't
know he was going to get help with that journey from a doctor he had never even met.
That doctor was Chief of Surgery Christopher Hudlin of Gould Medical Group. As luck
would have it, Jose's journey began as he became one of the first recipients of the
Dr. Christopher Hudlin Memorial Scholarship while attending Health Careers Academy,
a high school in Stockton.
2017 Hudlin recipient Jose Aguilar stands proudly with his parents, Reynalda Aguilar
and Jose Aguilar. Sr.

Health Careers Academy first opened in 2011 with a goal to bring more qualified
health care workers to San Joaquin County. The school closely resembles that of the
medical field with hallways that are called “units” and class periods
that are called “rounds.” The students even wear medical scrubs and white
jackets instead of uniforms. In 2016, the school earned a spot on Newsweek’s
“Beating the Odds” list, identifying 500 schools across the nation that
prepared low-income students for college. Jose and four of his classmates were the
first to receive the Dr. Christopher Hudlin Memorial Scholarship in 2017.

Although
Jose had never crossed paths with Dr. Hudlin, he had heard about him from his time
volunteering at Gould Medical Group. Since his sophomore year in high school, Jose
dedicated most of his time to helping in Urgent Care, but also got the chance to float
and work in different departments.

"I've always found reward in helping people,"
said Jose when asked why he wanted to work in medicine. And he found that as he interacted
with patients, it further fueled his motivation to be in health care.

"The appreciation
(of the patients), no matter how small my contribution…it was nice being a
part of that," Jose explained.

The Dr. Christopher Hudlin Memorial Scholarship
helps Jose pay for his books and tuition as a pre-med student at UC Davis. He misses
his family in Stockton – and home cooked meals – but all of the support
of his family helps Jose believe that he can be a doctor. Currently, Jose is focusing
on school but is looking for a clinic to continue his volunteer work…hopefully
with Sutter Health.